Mayor Lovely Warren Addresses Jeremy Kappell Meteorologist’s Firing

[Lovely Ann Warren:] Source: LYBIO.net
60 years ago Dr. Martin Luther King posed a simple question, where do we go from here? But in order to understand where to go – you must also understand where you’ve been.

You see my family were victims of the Jim Crow South, they feared for their lives at times. If they walked through the wrong door they were called disgraceful names.

In that speech, Dr. King stated, that, even though a lot had been accomplished during the civil rights movement, that more still needed to be done, especially when it came to the use of language and the ongoing depiction of the people of color.

Where do we go from here?

Dr. King said we must assert our dignity and our worth. And I couldn’t agree more.

My job is to stand up for the dignity and worth of our entire community. No matter where you’re from. What you look like, and no matter who you choose to love.

So I stood on the steps of City Hall, fighting for the rights of immigrants and their children. Stood fighting for women’s rights in Washington Square Park. Stood with our Jewish community when their graves were desecrated. Stood with our children as they demanded that we take action against the violence [taking] place in their schools.

I continue to stand with the LGBTQ community as they fight for gender.

And yes…

I demanded that our local media address a racist slur.

I will always stand up for dignity and the worth of everyone in our community.

I’m proud to follow in the tradition of leaders who fought to free slaves as part of the Underground Railroad.

I’m proud to follow the tradition of the Suffragettes who gave women the right to vote by never backing down.

Rochester in the world is a better place because of these leaders who stood up and demanded change.

I have a responsibility to lead and help answer Dr. King’s question – where do we go from here?

It is unfortunate that our community remains divided.

In today’s world where we all find ourselves struggling against hate and intolerance. It’s more important than ever that we work towards understanding and love.

He said, “Hate is too great a burden to bear.” – Martin Luther King

I’ve decided to love. The love described by Dr. King is one where those with power use it – to better the lives of all of society.

He was dedicated to speaking truth to power and working so the powerful could see and hear the world through the lens of the powerless.

Empathy… was at the heart of his teachings.

[Lovely Ann Warren:] Source: LYBIO.net
As mayor, I am committed to working so everyone can understand how the words and images we all use or omit cause righteous anger or harm.

Sometimes, the hurt isn’t intentional, but it is painful, nonetheless.

Sometimes, the impact matters more than the intent.

It is our job to recognize the divide between our beliefs and our actions, and dedicate ourselves to change our actions so that our intent is never called into question.

In this community it has failed to live up to its promise; it’s not because of lack of resources, imagination or will.

It is because of our failure to recognize the reality and pain of racism. The reality and pain of sexism.

The reality and pain of homophobia.

The reality and pain of all forms of hatred.

In order to heal, we must first acknowledge this reality and pain and then we can move forward.

So today, I am acknowledging it.

But I’m also committing our city to do all that we can to move past hatred.

This will be just the beginning of our efforts to share and learn, so we all can develop a greater empathy and understanding of each other.

So where do we go from here?

Thankfully…

Dr. King provided us with the answer.

When he said, love is the only force, capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive.

He who was de-void of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.

[Lovely Ann Warren:] Source: LYBIO.net
There is some good in the worst of us.

And some evil in the best of us.

When we discover this — we are less prone to hate our enemies.

[Lovely Ann Warren:] Source: LYBIO.net
When my grandparents moved here from Kingstree, S.C, they were looking for refuge in a world filled with hate, they found that refuge in Rochester, so in their honor, I commit to speak and act with empathy.

I commit to continue to walk in my faith as they taught us to do.

And I also ask us all to commit to treat each other with the love that Dr. King envisioned.

Together we can build a stronger community.

[Lovely Ann Warren:] Source: LYBIO.net
Thank you and god bless.

Mayor Lovely Warren Addresses Jeremy Kappell Meteorologist’s Firing

Mayor Lovely Warren Addresses Jeremy Kappell Meteorologist’s Firing. I will always stand up for dignity and the worth of everyone in our community.
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